This issue offers the proceedings of the special session dedicated to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), organized at part of the China International Food Safety and Quality Conference (CIFSQ) in Beijing, China from 6-7 November 2013. This “Codex” session had the following theme: “Codex Alimentarius Commission at 50, Accomplishments and Future Challenges”. The session gathered key opinion leaders and contributors to Codex from around the world and particularly from the Asia-Pacific Region. It aimed at highlighting the accomplishments of the Codex Alimentarius Commission over the past 50 years as the preeminent food standard setting body internationally, its future challenges and areas of focus both internationally and for the Asia – Asia-Pacific region in particular. The session also highlighted the critical nature of the availability of scientific advice delivered by the expert advisory bodies to Codex led by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, as well as the importance of availability of data from countries and organizations to inform the development of such scientific advice. The session discussed the contribution of scientific and regulatory institutions in the region and elsewhere to generate and foster the availability of scientific information critical to standard setting domestically and internationally.

I had the privilege to be the organizer of this special session at CIFSQ and editor of this special issue of the IFRAJ dedicated to Codex. I would like to thank all speakers that have kindly agreed to contribute to this issue. My thanks go to the current chair of the Commission, Dr. Sanjay Dave, for his support to the organization of this session as well for his participation and his contribution with a paper to this special issue. A special thanks go to former Chair Dr. Karen Hulebak for agreeing to preface this special issue.